Ribbon bar

The Purple Heart ribbon bar (above) matches the medal's suspension ribbon (below)

Ribbon bars are small decorations that are worn by military, police, and fire service personnel or by civilians. Ribbon bars are mainly used when wearing either full decoration, or when wearing medals is considered inappropriate or impractical. Each military force has its own rules on what ribbons are worn in which order of precedence. Some awards are "ribbon only", having no associated medal.

Design

The ribbon bar for a particular medal usually matches the ribbon on the medal. For example, the ribbon for the Purple Heart medal is purple with a white bar down the two side edges, and its ribbon bar is similarly purple with a white bar at each end.

However, there are some awards that do not come on a ribbon, but still have a ribbon bar. The Soviet Order of Victory was a badge that is worn on the parade uniform. However, a ribbon was worn instead when wearing a field uniform. The ribbon was designed by combining various other ribbons from other Soviet orders.

Construction

Ribbon bars are today mounted on what is known as a pin backing, which can then be pushed through the fabric of a uniform shirt and secured, with fasteners, on the inside edge. Ribbons may either be individually secured, and then lined up on the shirt, or mass-mounted to a single fastener. Previously, ribbons were sewn to individual garments; individual militaries authorized the ribbons for wear on certain uniforms only; for example, on dress shirts but not on working clothing.

Display

Ribbon bars are normally not worn on utility or combat uniforms, but instead for office or dress occasions. Some countries (such as Cuba) maintain a standard practice of wearing full ribbon bars on combat utility clothing. In other militaries this is strictly prohibited, as the display of ribbons on combat gear could make higher ranking officers more noticeable as targets, and also negate the effect of camouflage.

Ribbon bars are worn in rows on the chest. This collection of bars is collectively referred to as a "ribbon rack".

Collecting

The study, history and collection of ribbons, among other military decorations, is known as faleristics and also spelled as phaleristics. Aside from certain contracted manufacturers, military surplus stores often sell ribbons.

Notable examples

U.S.A.

• Richard Marcinko

• General George S. Patton

• General of the Armies John J. Pershing (during World War I)

• John J. Pershing

Ecuador

• Ecuadorian Army General of the Army Paco Moncayo

Among all the National Decorations note the Legion of Merit awarded by the Government of the United States,The Italian Solidarity Star, The Brazilian Military Merit Great Cross, the Argentinean Military Merit Great Cross, the Chilean Bernardo O'Higgins Order and May Star, The Peruvian Miguel Grau Seminario Order, the Venezuelan Order of Antonio José de Sucre and the Carabobo Star.

Yugoslavia

• President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito

U.S.S.R.

• Marshal of the Soviet Union Aleksandr Vasilevsky (foreign decorations not pictured)

• Soviet Hero Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev

Australia

• Keith Payne VC OAM

• General Peter Cosgrove AC MC

Ribbons and awards

• Awards and decorations of Belarus
• Awards and decorations of the Soviet Union
• Awards and decorations of the United States military
• Polish military awards and decorations
• Awards and decorations of the military of Sri Lanka

See also

• Faleristics
• Order
• List of military decorations
• List of prizes, medals, and awards

External links

• Ukrainian ribbon bars
• Danish Ribbon bars